domains NameCheap Terminating Services to Russian Customers

[bhartzer]

Namecheap is apparently terminating services to Russian customers:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1497665532081889287

Namecheap is asking that customers from Russia transfer their domain names to another registrar by March 6, 2022:

"Unfortunately, due to the Russian regime's war crimes and human rights violations in Ukraine, we will no longer be providing services to users registered in Russia. While we sympathize that this war may not affect your own views or opinion on the matter, the fact is, your authoritarian government is committing human rights abuses and engaging in war crimes so this is a policy decision we have made and will stand by.

If you hold any top-level domains with us, we ask that you transfer them to another provider by March 6, 2022. "

 

[bmugford]

Also, NameCheap.com should publicly state that they are not going to make a profit off these assets as well.

I think it is only fair if NameCheap.com takes such a stance, that they should not want to profit off these domains when/if they expire.

Is NameCheap willing to make that pledge publicly?

Brad

 

[LoveCatchyDomains]

I posted this in the other NameCheap thread, but -

“Namecheap told its existing Russian customers that they need to move their services off of their platform immediately.”

and this –

“Russian IP addresses are being blocked from accessing the company’s website.”

Don’t really work together. How are customers supposed to move if they don’t have access to the website?

Brad

Do we know if any of this is related to immediate cybersecurity threats? And would be we even know if that was part of the issue? Perhaps, at the moment, we need to respect that there may be other issues involved that aren't being articulated.
Hopefully, NameCheap will be providing adequate time and resources. to provide reasonable transitions for these fellow domainers, Russian or otherwise.
Does anyone know if there are affordable registrar options in Russia itself? Probably nobody really wants to see the "little guy or gal," barely making a living as a domainer, hurt by these actions. Hopefully, there are some good alternatives out there.

 

[john_karr]

This is going to get very ugly.

 

[johnn]

Another stupid mistake. Mixing Business and Politic.
Russian people have nothing to do with the situation. It's the Russian Government.

 

[Clover]

This is going to get very ugly.

"public_html/Epic_NameCheap_Fail.txt"

lol

 

[Clover]

Another stupid mistake. Mixing Business and Politic.
Russian people have nothing to do with the situation. It's the Russian Government.

100% agree.

 

[Domain Research Labs]

Hurting regular people will hardly have an effect on this conflict, it is not like the Russian people actually elected their leader, most Russians are victims of a dictatorship that gives them no choice but to shut up and obey while all this insanity unfolds.

If anything, they should target Russian institutions or companies that have some kind of bearing in this conflict, otherwise it is an empty measure that will only hurt the little guy and in most cases will surely be unjust, and of course it will leave them exposed to legal action by those affected.

 

[Josytal]

Namecheap isn't freezing assets; they're asking that certain customers transfer their domains to another registrar.

Who pays for the forced transfer?
I mean, for domains with valid expiration dates?
What happens to domains not transferred out before the deadline, namecheap sells/deletes/confiscates them?

Just curious.

 

[Kingslayer]

FIFA/UEFA suspending Russia and all Russian clubs from competing, I agree with.

Companies no longer dealing with Russian companies, I agree with.

Sporting sponsorships ending with Russian companies, I agree with.

But I don’t agree with this, in the same way I wouldn’t agree with Twitter kicking all Russians off its platform. You have to look at what line of business you’re involved in, in this case NameCheap are in the domain game, they deal with individual Russian people directly, who have chosen/trusted NameCheap with their assets and NameCheap also have to look at what they are asking Russian people to do.

They are asking them to pay $10+ per domain to transfer their assets to another registrar, which is a huge amount of money to a Russian paying in ruble right now, but even if it wasn’t how can Russian people be expected to transfer their assets to another company when they can no longer make overseas transactions?

We all know who the bad guys are with what’s happening Ukraine, even majority of Russians say they are ashamed of their country right now, but there can come a stage where you can go too far and if you do that you are playing into Putin’s hands, you become what Putin tells his people the west are with Russia.

 

[Armageddon]

Or you can find here or another forum a member or a trusted person that is not from Russia & push all your domains ( special those cant be transfer out ) to account of that person or a fresh account of that trust person

I offer a possible solution
I am ready to help ( who want ) until this situation will end or until more options on table
PM who want and establish details

 

[xcloud123]

namecheap should start its rules when the war started.
should not hurt the clients who pay before the war !
Contract Spirit ？

 

[DomainNature]

I promise to help them by drop/catching their domains.

 

[LoveCatchyDomains]

A Twitter release is cited at the top of this discussion, but their "namecheap.com" website has no mention of this issue. Are we certain that this is real? Is it only being posted on their Russian or European websites?
There is a section on their website for press releases. Would it make sense for them to post this major decision there as well?

 

[Domain_savvy]

This is uncalled for. Registrars supposed to be neutral. I thought NC works as per rules and legality but this is pure unprofessional.
Where is 30 days prior notice of policy change?
I am not russian but this decision now makes me have 2nd thoughts about NC.

 

[oldtimer]

If this has to be done for security reasons then it's more logical for NameCheap to have done this on an individual basis depending on if a person, company, institution or otherwise entity has actively and directly had a hand in supporting the Russian regime and the invasion.

Consider a Russian activist that has been arrested for protesting against the War and now is going to lose his or her domain and subsequently the website that was associated with it because of this action.

There has to be a better way to show one's support for the people of Ukraine.

IMO

 

[vast]

Well, I’m from Russia. Here’s how it feels on my side.

First of all, as some have mentioned here, there are many people in Russia who are upset with the war and all that's happening. I won’t lie that everyone is, but in my circle, for instance, that’s the vast majority of people. In my company, I currently have co-workers in various countries, Ukraine being one them. It’s absolutely absurd for me to take the fact that my Kiev colleagues I’ve just been discussing some work matters with are now hiding with their families in the airshelter from the bombs/missiles sent by my country’s military forces. I admit that Russia might’ve had some grounds for concerns with the certain processes taking place in Ukraine; some have been really frustrating; but the WAR?? Weird and scary. Nobody has expected this. NOBODY. I actually don’t think about us as about two different nations (with all the due respect to the Ukrainian right for identity) – so what’s happening now feels more like the civil war to me, and it’s pain to see this going on. And I’m not alone in my opinion.

So why am I talking about all this? The issue is even not in the domain names. The issue is in the overall perception of the ordinary Russian people, virtually putting the equality sign between them and those making decisions. That's not right. As to the Russian people - yes, we leave in the same country, share the same core values in general and love our country in spite of everyhing - but I believe we have the right to have our own opinion on the certain matters. My taxes going to the “regime”? What’s about schools, medicine, roads, pensions for old-age people? Should we stop paying our taxes and leave this all out according to Namecheap CEO? Or should we just stop earning/eating for the sake of the democracy values? Does he really believe that hitting the tiny fraction of Russians being their customers for years will hit the “regime”? Nonsense. This is definitely more the demonstrative step, trying to be in the ”trend”. Poor decision as from the business side perspective so as in the common morality/ethics aspect.

 

[DAN.COM]

It's sad to see ordinary Russians being now targetted by companies. We should stand firm behind Ukraine and against the Russian government but often ordinary citizens are hurt most which are against the war as well.

Seems like an overly emotional decision.

 

[AbdulBasit.com]

That's very bad decision coming in from NameCheap. Totally unprofessional and bad for those Russians who're not at all involved by any means in this war.

If NameCheap is acting genuinely neutral, then why not ban a country who invades in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, etc. However, I'm against banning user's account from any specific country due to political reasons. Why to mix politics with business/registrar policies!

 

[Armageddon]

Maybe ICANN will take postion on this or some one need to tell them

 

[bamboozle]

Can’t say I agree with the decision, but I can’t blame them either.

At the end of the day, they’re a private business and can do business with whoever they want.

 

[Armageddon]

Can’t say I agree with the decision, but I can’t blame them either.

At the end of the day, they’re a private business and can do business with whoever they want.

No ..they cant do this because must follow certain rules of ICANN otherwise they can lose accreditation

 

[bamboozle]

No ..they cant do this because must follow certain rules of ICANN otherwise they can lose accreditation

It's sad to see ordinary Russians being now targetted by companies. We should stand firm behind Ukraine and against the Russian government but often ordinary citizens are hurt most which are against the war as well.

Seems like an overly emotional decision.

Yes, if they violated rules, then they are in the wrong. Good thing they own Handshake Domains.

 

[barybadrinath]

The people who want war never go on ground to fight it. People who are fighting the war do not want it to happen.
I support Both common public of Ukraine and Russia. Common man has no say in all of this. It's sad to see companies taking out their frustration on common man. Customer is a customer and you have to protect his/her right. I wonder what will be the position of Aman bhutani and GoDaddy in this case.
However as a Domainer if any Russian Domainer here want to push their domains of namecheap, they can do that in my account and then they can take back their domains to the registrar of their choice.
As a Domainer and common man i stand with common man of all countries.

 

[Reallybigidea.com]

namecheap.com support chat TURNED OFF.

We’re under maintenance at the moment making chat experience better for you. We'll be back in 27:57:42. We apologize for the temporary inconvenience. Please submit a ticket and we'll be in touch shortly.

I have submitted a ticket 12 hours ago, got email from them:

We would like to apologize for the delay in replying. The number of requests has increased drastically, we are doing our best to get the load back to normal but still, the response time is longer than usual

How to get refund for other services etc

 

[User234]

One of my domains was transferred to them in January and is still under the 60-day lock. And they gave me a 6-day deadline which runs out before the 60-day lock.